The Lone Wolfen Chronicles: The Consultant
by JDH3
Summary: The adventures of my OC, Rhett Koria, continue to unfold in this 'fic. Set twelve years after "Unexpected Loss", Rhett is forced into a showdown with his old enemy, Tyler Creed.
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimer:** Wolf Lake is owned by CBS, UPN, and others who are not me, so don't sue.

**Author Note:** This story takes place roughly twelve years after _Unexpected Loss_, and continues the story of my OC, Rhett Koria. I know I'm jumping around age wise, but this was just the next story my brain came up with to tell. shrugs I will be going back and filling in the gaps eventually, but as I said, this is the next plot-bunny in line.

**The Lone Wolfen Chronicles: The Consultant.**

**Prologue**

Rhett Koria climbed out of his bed, a loud yawn escaping him as he did so. He couldn't believe he was already late for work. He went into his bathroom, showered, and was out before his girlfriend of the last several months awoke. The fact that she did not stir surprised him, and he worried that perhaps he had allowed his wolf to guide too much of what had happened between them during the night. However, all thoughts that he might have hurt her vanished a few minutes later when her eyes slowly fluttered open, much to his relief.

"Leaving already?" His human girlfriend, Melody Mcdonald, inquired, sleepily.

"Unfortunately," Rhett answered.

Propping herself up on her elbow, Melody sniffed the air, although not as a skinwalker would have. "I don't smell coffee," she groaned.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I woke up and was already late," he apologized.

She sat up in bed, running a hand through her short, blond hair. "I guess I'll have to let you off the hook this time, seeing as how I'm the reason you over slept," she said, smirking.

Rhett moved to the bed, leaned down, and kissed Melody firmly. "I always knew you were trouble, McDonald," he joked as he pulled away again.

She chuckled, her head shaking. "So," she began, tentatively. "What exactly is on the agenda for today, Mr. consultant?" She tried to make her question sound as casual as possible.

"Melody," he sighed, tiredly.

"This is ridiculous! We're seeing each other, Rhett. And as of last night, we're sleeping together, and you still won't open up," she shot back, exasperated.

"You could just give it time," Rhett suggested as he finished dressing.

"I'm a journalism student, remember? You knew what you were getting into with me from the start," Melody pointed out.

"You don't understand the stakes," he said by way of an explanation.

"For who? You?"

"For both of us," he elaborated. "Look, I'm late and getting later by the minute. I have to go, but I'll call you this afternoon," he said, already heading for the door.

**Chapter 1**

Jarred Sleper stood next to his black S.U.V on a darkened Los Angeles' street, his mind on business. He was a drug dealer, and business had been booming of late. Usually, he didn't count his money in public, even at one in the morning, but the police had been totally unable to touch him. There were rumors circulating that the L.A.P.D had formed yet another new task force to deal with major crimes, but he was unconcerned.

This supposed new task force was in the worst traditions of the less than ethical L.A police department, or so people said. They were meant to go after drug dealers and other major criminal enterprises as hard as they could. Also, there was word that this bunch of cops worked with a mystery man, a man who was hired as a "consultant" to the L.A.P.D. This "consultant" wasn't a cop, but something else, if you believed the rumors.

Jarred opened his silver, metal briefcase, admiring all the money inside. He had made close to three hundred thousand dollars this week alone. It was indeed good to be Jarred Sleper, he thought to himself. With a click, he closed his briefcase and turned to climb into his S.U.V. However, something in the back of his mind warned him of danger and he paused.

Rhett Koria stalked his prey, his eyes flashing gold as he drew nearer to his target. A lifetime of practice had made the art of moving in the shadows second nature to him. He watched as Jarred Sleper counted the proceeds from his drug business, his eyes locked on the silver case on the hood of Sleper's S.U.V. He lived for times like this, times when he could let his true nature guide him. Before he realized it, he found himself directly behind the drug dealer. His mouth watered, and he had to fight the urge to let his jaw elongate into its wolf form.

Jarred Sleper gazed right to left, not noting anything out of the ordinary on the dark street. It was then that he realized someone was behind him, but how had they gotten there? He spun around, one hand reaching inside his leather jacket to retrieve his gun.

Rhett seized Jarred by the throat with one hand, a vicious smile on his face. He tightened his grip until the dealer's hand slid out from his jacket, no weapon in its grip. With the ease that came from having Wolfen strength, Rhett tossed Jarred Sleper into the side of the nearest building, an abandoned factory. The dazed Sleper landed hard on the ground, his breathing ragged. Rhett stalked the fallen dealer, picking him up with one hand when he reached him. Once again relying on his Wolfen strength, he threw Sleper through a cracked window and into the broken down building.

Rhett Koria let out a long sigh as he stretched his neck. Another night's work was done in his role as a consultant to the Los Angeles police department, and he was pleased. His deal with the L.A.P.D was simple, and just to his liking. He hit dealers and other scum for the cops, and got to keep whatever cash, cars, and other toys he wanted as payment. It was a good life, even if it wasn't the one he desired most. None of his superiors or coworkers knew how the scrawny "consultant" managed to rip-off such high powered and dangerous people and not get killed in the process, but so long as he made a dent in the underworld, they didn't care. He hit criminals where it hurt most, in their wallets.

Feeling no need to rush, Rhett calmly picked up Jarred's silver briefcase, smiling at the thought of the money he had "earned." Briefcase in hand, he found his way inside the factory to where Jarred Sleper lay, unconscious from their encounter. Rummaging through the dealer's pockets, he quickly found the keys to the black S.U.V parked outside. Just for good measure, he also took Sleper's cell phone. Maybe he'd keep it, or, perhaps, he'd give it to an informant as payment for information. Either way, it was better than leaving it with the drug dealer.

Once outside again, Rhett settled into "his" new S.U.V and drove off. He had to report to his superiors about another successful takedown, and then it would be back to his apartment to rest. Maintaining his secret was at best difficult, and at worst damn near impossible. He had stacks of forged documents to cover his tracks and his religious beliefs to ward off most medical inquiries, but it was such a chore.

Arriving back at the major crimes war room, as he called it, Rhett found his coworkers engaged as they often were when not working on a case. They were all about his age, and all they shared one thing in common, an intense curiosity about him. They called him "boss" because no one could figure out what he did, and he never seemed to be working while around them- just like a typical boss, they joked.

"Welcome back, boss," Jenna Reese greeted, politely. "Busy night?" She inquired, a single blond eyebrow quirked.

Jenna was an attractive woman of twenty six with long blond hair and blue eyes. Of all his coworkers, Rhett considered her to be the most skilled. "Not overly so," he replied simply.

"So, what's with the case?" Tim Metzger, another member of the team, asked, his eyes locked onto the metal briefcase Rhett was carrying.

"Oh, this?" Rhett raised the case a bit. "Call it the spoils of war," he answered, cryptically.

His response caused a few raised eyebrows from those assembled, but he was up the stairs that lead to his office before more could be made of it. As they watched him go, the gathered members of the major crimes task force were left with still more questions about their mysterious "boss."

Upstairs in his office, Rhett was suddenly assailed by concerns. He had never been as bold as he had been tonight. Usually, he hit his targets hard and fast, not allowing them time to fully process what was happening, but tonight...? Still, how bad could it be? Even if Jarred Sleper said something, would anyone believe him? Would people believe that the six foot, hundred and ninety pound Sleper was overpowered by someone who weighed one twenty soaking wet with rocks in his pockets? And would the drug dealer ever want to admit that someone so scrawny took him for three hundred grand? Not likely, Rhett decided.

Twenty minutes later, Rhett completed the report on his takedown of Jarred Sleper. After e-mailing the report to his boss, he packed up his things to leave- his recently acquired three hundred thousand dollars being the most important of those things. He was just about to flick off his computer when he realized he had an unread e-mail. Against his better judgment, he collapsed back down into his chair and opened his mailbox. The one letter was titled simply "kill or capture," and was more than enough to wake the tired Wolfen up. The sender was his inside source for all the news from back home, his link to Wolf Lake. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Rhett gazed with interest down at the one sentence letter on the screen.

_Ruby has vanished again, and a kill or capture order has been issued._

_Sophia._

TBC.

Next chapter will deal with the issue of why Rhett is in L.A, and how he managed to get away from Wolf Lake.


	2. The life he left

**Author Note: **Thoughts are in _italics_ everyone.

**Chapter 2: The life he left...**

Rhett sat in his office sipping his morning coffee in silence, his thoughts deeply troubled. Sophia's most recent e-mail had disturbed him, and he had not bothered to go home for the night. Ruby had once again fled Wolf Lake, and, apparently, the new Alpha wasn't as forgiving as her late father. He wasn't surprised, though. Vivian Cates had never been fond of Ruby, that was no secret around town, even before he himself had left. _Her mouth must be watering at the chance to get rid of her once and for all,_ Rhett thought.

As Rhett mused about Ruby's circumstances, he couldn't help but think back to the events that had brought him to L.A. Unlike Ruby, he had never harbored any great desire to experience life beyond their sheltered home. Oh sure, he'd had his share of wanderlust in his youth, but nothing so great that he considered leaving. He loved being a member of the pack, being a skinwalker. He felt special, powerful even. In that respect, he was much like his nemesis, Tyler Creed. Both he and Tyler felt privileged to be what they were, although unlike Tyler, he didn't feel superior to humans, just different.

Humans, humans had always been his problem, as it were. Like Matthew Donner, Rhett had no issues with humans, no disdain for them. If a skinwalker wanted a human as a friend, lover, or mate, who really cared? The simple answer to that question was a great many people.

Rhett pulled out his wallet and retrieved the small news clipping he had carried everywhere since before he left Wolf Lake. His fingers brushed over the wrinkled article, and the lone picture that accompanied it. _Allison_, her name echoed in his mind even now. Once upon a time, she had been his obsession. Long, straight, blue-black hair, blue eyes like the deepest part of the lake, and a stage presence that was profound. She had been a townie, a simple human from a poor family. And she could sing, man could she sing! In high school, she had been the lead singer for a local band, Psychotic Wolf. Needless to say, the name wasn't a big hit with the Wolfen population- at least not most of them.

In the end, though, she had gotten too close, and he had gotten careless. He made what was, for her, a fatal error in judgment. He told her what he was, and she had paid for it with her life. Tyler Creed had seen to her demise personally. Rhett knew he should have died along with her, but Willard Cates had a soft spot for him. Besides, the pack Alpha had reasoned, with Allison dead, there was no further need for bloodshed.

He had gone after Tyler, of course, but had been thwarted in his attempt to avenge Allison's death. He could still feel his jaws clamping down on Tyler's neck and the satisfaction that brought. But then Willard Cates and his tranquilizer rifle had snatched victory from him at the last second. _I was so close to killing him,_ he thought, angrily.

His anger at such memories was compounded by the fact that he wasn't likely to get another shot at Tyler, and even if he did, he wasn't sure he'd win. After all, Tyler had nearly killed him the first time they tangled. By all rights, Tyler should have bested him easily, but Rhett had embraced his wolf more fully than even Tyler did. He had been wolf to such an extent that the man was almost completely gone, and it had nearly worked.

It was always like that when he flipped, even from the start. Perhaps, it was his first change that made him embrace his wolf so totally. His first flip had been long and brutal, taking days to complete. If not for his parents hiding the fact that he was undergoing the transformation, he would have been killed after a mere day at best.

Even when the pain subsided, he was left only half-turned. His own father was about to end the nightmare when he had pulled loose of his restraints and escaped into the forest. Only then, when he realized he was about to be discovered by a group of fellow wolfen, did he manage to fully flip. To this day, every shift from human to wolf and back was difficult, and potentially fatal. But regardless of the risks, he continued to flip. He wouldn't, couldn't give it up like Donner had. The rush was just too great, and, for once in his life, he felt powerful. Sure, even as a wolf, he was scrawny, but it was still better than being a human, in his opinion.

"Boss?" Jenna Reese's voice snapped Rhett of of his reverie.

"Jenna! Oh, you startled me," he said, quickly replacing the article about Allison's death back in his wallet. "What's up?"

"You've got a visitor waiting for you downstairs," she stated.

"I'll be right there, just tell them to wait a minute," he said trying to regain his composure.

"No sweat."

A couple minutes later, Rhett made his way downstairs to the major crimes task force war room. It was early in the morning and he headed straight for the coffee pot, ignoring all else- including the figure waiting expectantly for him.

"You've always hated mornings, haven't you," a female voice remarked from behind him.

Coffee in hand, Rhett spun around to face the familiar speaker, his eyes wide with shock. "Ruby," he gasped.

"Been a long time, Rhett," Ruby observed.

Rhett didn't respond, he didn't know how to.

"You're not exactly happy to see me, are you?" Ruby continued.

"Not really," Rhett agreed.

"Boss!" Tim Metzger nearly shouted, astounded that Rhett would be so cold to an attractive woman like Ruby. However, stern looks from several other team members put a halt to further interruptions on his part.

"What do you want here, Ruby?" Rhett fairly growled.

"I came to ask if you'd be willing to help me with my...divorce," Ruby explained.

Rhett knew by the way Ruby paused before saying divorce that what she really wanted was something more permanent. "You want Tyler dead, do it yourself," he nearly spat. "I'm not an assassin."

"But you are a soldier," Ruby countered. "And one who serves my family, or so you use to say," she added.

"How the hell did you find me?" Rhett asked, changing the subject without warning.

"Does it matter?"

"Considering what will happen if anyone else from back home finds me, you bet it matters," Rhett snapped. "Besides, you tried to talk me out of going after Tyler once before, remember? Why the hell should I bend over backwards to help you now?"

"Because we are clan," Ruby replied simply, using the same strategy her stepmother had employed with her earlier.

Oblivious to the curious stares from the others in the room, Rhett and Ruby locked eyes. Neither member of the Wolf Lake pack liked the current situation, but neither was willing to back off either. In the end, though, it was Rhett who blinked. Whether he liked it or not, Ruby was right about his attitude towards pack life. He had left because he had been disgusted by the town's handling of the Allison situation, but he was still clan at heart.

"You want me to go back?" Rhett finally asked.

"We'll talk about it over dinner, Rhett. I left my number with the officer at the front desk. Call me when you're finished here," Ruby answered, already on her way out of the war room.

Rhett watched Ruby leave, a frown on his face. The last thing he wanted right now was to be dragged back into pack life. He certainly wanted to make Tyler pay for killing Allison, but he wanted to do it on his terms, not Ruby's. He had faked his death in order to escape, but now he had been found- and by the Alpha's daughter no less! More than anything, Rhett had dreamed of a quiet life in Wolf Lake, but that dream had never materialized. _I guess this is what I get for surviving my first flip when I should have died,_ he lamented. Without a word to his confused coworkers, Rhett climbed the stairs and returned to his office. He needed to focus on work, not on his impending return to pack politics.

TBC.

Reviews anyone?:)


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